POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – With just 10 days remaining until the season opener, Part III of the Marist softball season preview focuses on the team's infielders.
 
Part I examined the pitching staff, and Part II took a closer look at the catchers.
 

Third Base

As a fifth-year senior, Claire Oberdorf has been the Red Foxes' primary starter at three positions in her career: third base (2019), catcher (2017), and second base (2016). She projects as the Red Foxes' starter at third base, but may see time at catcher and second base as well.
 
Oberdorf was a Preseason All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference selection. She was named Second Team All-MAAC each of the last two years, and was MAAC Rookie of the Year, First Team All-MAAC, and an NFCA Top 10 Freshman in 2016. She is a career .322 hitter whose 48 stolen bases rank third all-time in program history.
 
Sophomore Morgan Gianelle made 36 starts last season, as she split time between third base and designated player. Gianelle drove in 19 runs, and was named to the MAAC All-Tournament Team.
 
On days when she's not catching, sophomore Kaley Coltrain may also work her way into the third base mix.
 

Shortstop

The last two seasons, Marist has played 116 games. Caroline Baratta has appeared in all of them, and has started 115 of them.
 
Baratta anchors the leadoff spot for the Red Foxes, and was a Preseason All-MAAC selection. Offensively, she is a career .320 hitter who has scored 80 runs and stolen 23 bases over the last two years. Defensively, she has a .950 career fielding position, and she set a single-season program record with 164 assists as a freshman.
 

Second Base

The Red Foxes will have to replace Brandi Coon, who graduated after being a two-time Second Team All-MAAC selection. Coon started 185 games in her career, and was the primary starter at second base the last three seasons.
 
Marist has a few options to replace Coon. Sophomore Hailee Jantorno played four different positions last year (second base, third base, left field, and center field). She had four stolen bases and six sacrifice bunts in 2019. Although junior Hunter Hand projects to see playing time in the outfield, she will be in the mix to see time at second base as well. Sam Freeland, a freshman utility player from Bear, Delaware, will be competing for time at the position.
 

First Base

Madison Lee, who graduated in 2019, was the Red Foxes' primary starter last season. According to head coach Joe Ausanio, up to six Red Foxes will be vying for time here.
 
Fifth-year senior Andrea Bombace is a local product (Wappingers Falls) and transfer (Syracuse) who was limited to three at-bats due to injury last year. When healthy, Bombace will supply a source of power to the Marist lineup.
 
Juniors Lauren Beal and Olivia Knopf have seen a good amount of time at first base over the last two seasons. Beal has played in 60 career games, which include 32 starts in the 2018 season. Knopf has played in 43 games, and has also been in the lineup as the designated player.
 
Senior Jade Sinskul will be in the mix for playing time behind the plate, but is also in contention to get at-bats at first base. Sophomore Alyssa Yarem will contend for playing time at first, and is also in the mix to crack the lineup as an outfielder.
 
Although she has played primarily right field for the last two years, senior Ali Milam may also see time at first base. A First Team All-MAAC selection each of the last two years, Milam played first base in last year's MAAC championship game.